One-on-one questions and answers

Dale Jarrett

“They’re willing to put their body through or their mind through whatever that job is to put them at the top.”

Story and digital images by Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

UPS delivers and Dale Jarrett delivers. Both provide good service, but Jarrett delivers high speed with precision and integrity with grace. Fans know this. His sponsor knows too. Stature thrives in the tall frame of Jarrett and his words back up many reasons for his popularity.

Dwight asks Dale Jarrett

“It’s certainly a job. Competing is what I like to do. That’s the best thing about my job is being able to do and make a living at what I enjoy doing.”

“What do I miss the most when I’m not at the track? There are some friends that I miss seeing there, but it goes back to the competition side of it. I love to compete and obviously if I’m not at the racetrack then I’m not having the opportunity.”

“No. Each race is different. I think you have to get into the weekend to see what type of situation your dealing with. Each and every race weekend requires something different. So I reserve going into a race with something already preplanned until I know what my race car is like and what the competition is like.”

“I don’t have anything that really hurts. If anything it would be my lower back for sitting for four or five hundred miles. My workout routine since I’ve started that about five or six years. My physical ailments are quite a bit less, because I try to stay in shape. “

“I think the willingness to do whatever it takes to get your job done. Whether you’re driving a race car or competing on a basketball court or football field. There are certain people who have that mentality that they know what it takes and they’re willing to put their body through or their mind through whatever that job is to put them at the top.”

Stephen G. Lyons, Vice-President Ford Motor Company, ponders Dale Jarrett's words.
(Are his relaxed fingers indicating victory?)